Social Psychology (15): Cultural Practices

What did Friesen (1972) find about emotional expression in US vs Japanese participants?

• Alone: both showed disgust

• With others: Japanese suppressed disgust—showing cultural display rules.

What did Matsumoto (1990) suggest about emotion display?

Collectivism predicts more positive emotion displays to in-groups and greater emotional regulation.

How did US and Japanese participants differ in reading emotions (Matsumoto et al., 2002)?

• US: felt less intensity to intense expressions

• Japan: felt more intensity to subtle expressions

What are Tight vs Loose cultures?

• Tight:

  • Strong norms

  • Low deviance tolerance

• Loose:

  • Weak norms

  • High deviance tolerance

What ecological/historical threats predict cultural tightness?

• Population density

• Food scarcity

• Natural disasters

• Disease

• Conflict

What societal factors are linked to tightness?

• Autocracy

• Restricted media

• More policing

• Religion

• Fewer civil liberties

What are individual psychological traits in tight cultures?

• Cautiousness

• Self-regulation

• High need for structure

• Conformity

What family types differ across cultures?

Nuclear (Western) vs Extended (non-Western).

What percentage of marriages were arranged as of 2012?

53%.

Why do people choose arranged marriages?

• Social harmony

• Economic protection

• Rationality

What did Levine et al. (1995) find about marrying without love?

Cultural differences predicted by individualism-collectivism, but affluence had a stronger effect.

What did Buss et al. (1990) find about desired mate traits across 37 cultures?

Top traits:

• Mutual attraction/love

• Dependable character

• Emotional stability

What four factors did Shackelford et al. (2005) identify?

1. Love vs Status

2. Dependability vs Health/Looks

3. Intelligence vs Desire for Home

4. Sociability vs Religion

How did affluence affect mate preferences?

• Richer countries: prioritise love and attraction

• Poorer countries: prioritise practical traits

What are the most common love styles (Nato et al., 2000)?

• Storge (common in Brazil, Portugal, France, Switzerland)

• Pragma

Relational Mobility

The freedom to form or leave relationships based on individual preference.

What cultural/ecological factors influence Relational Mobility (RM)?

• Lower RM in rice farming and harsh climates

• Higher RM in herding and affluent societies

What behaviours are associated with high RM?

Higher trust in strangers, intimacy, and self-esteem.

What does the ecocultural framework aim to map?

Cultural differences based on ecological and socio-political contexts.

What elements define ecological and socio-political context?

• Temperature

• Rainfall

• Education

• Economy

• Religion

• Population density

What did Georgas et al. (2004) use to predict psychological differences?

National clusters based on:

• Hofstede and Schwartz scores

• Life satisfaction

• Affluence

What are examples of cultural variation in subsistence styles?

• Farmers/fishers vs. herders (Eastern Turkey)

• Rice vs. wheat (China)

What are ecological factors influencing culture?

• Pathogen prevalence (Fincher et al., 2008)

• Climato-economic interactions (Van de Vliert et al., 2009).